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- - 63' Custom Cab SWB Build (https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=314957)

63' Custom Cab SWB Build

Well I thought I would share my build with you guys. I started this project in 1997. I know its been a while but there were a few obsticals that pushed this rig in the corner. I purchased my 63' as a disassembled project for 400.00 but fairly complete. The only thing the previous owner did do was take it apart. I found it in the local Buy-N-Sell. The truck was from Arizona so there was very little or no rust in most of the vehicle with the exception of the cab floors. I planed on repairing the floor boards but, once again I was scowering the local Buy-N-Sell and I found a very nice rust free 62' small window cab for 25.00 that included a nice hood and a headboard for the bed. My original cab was a big window so I removed the liner from the big window cab and installed it in the new 62' cab. Before I installed the big window liner in the 62' cab I installed the shoulder harness bosses so I could run the late model shoulder harness belts. I purchased a new, at the time, 1998 Silverado leather bench seat to match the seat belts. The front cab mounts on the 62' cab had to be relocated to fit the 63' frame. I removed the front cab mounts from the 63' cab and installed them in the new 62' cab. You cans see in the attached photos. The previous owner of the 62' cab had removed the rockers so I purchased a set of GM rockers as well as new set of fenders. You could still buy them from GM then. I completely disassembled the chassis cleaned all of the parts then started to build the chassis. My neighbor just happened to have a 1973 C-10 sitting in his yard so, I asked if he would like to get rid of that yard art...:lol: He said I could have it but he wanted the engine out of it...:metal: This provided me with the front crossmember, disc brakes, power steering box, swaybar, motor mounts, and a few other items. I swapped out the crossmember and made my own mounts for the steering box. I then located a 28 spline 9" from a Lincon Versi with factory disc brakes. I rebuilt the 3rd member and installed a 31 spline 4:30 Posi and ordered new axles to match. I used a TH400 Auto crossmember form a 75' C-20 454 truck to mount the tailshaft of the 4L60. I used 2" dropped spindles and 3" drop springs from CPP. I am going to have to look that up. I can't remember. CPP also provided me with a set of 4" drop springs for the back with an adjustable panhard bar to pull things into place and Doetsch Tech shocks on all four corners. They also rebuilt my power steering box. I then made a set of 2" lowering blocks out of some billet aluminum and had a local spring maker make me a set of U bolts to put things together. I then purchased a new Mark VI 502 marine 442 HP and a 4L60 trany. I wanted a reliable street truck that I could take on trips and could also baste the rear tires any time I wanted so, I disassembled the 502 and had it line bored square decked anti-roped had the block honed with torque plates and the rotating assembly balanced balanced. I then had the rectangular heads ported and polished and did a 3-angle valve job. By the way there was no internet when I started this project as many of you can remember so, scrounging for parts was looking in you local classifieds, wrecking yards or Hemmings Motor News. Now I really wanted to run a 3X2 on this rig so, that meant finding a 67-69 435 HP Corvette intake. I really wanted the 67' as it is the only year that the 435 3X2 is a high rise.:metal: Well I happened to find one in Hemmings Motor News on the east coast for 500.00. When I received it it was not the 67' high rise intake but a 69' low intake. It did have all matching 67' carburetors...:metal:. The 67' carb linkage is different for the high rise application. I made a few phone calls and was able to trade the 69' manifold for a 67' straight across....:metal: I found a set of 2" Stans try-Y headers for a 73'-87' BBC truck at the Corvette Swap meet that were almost new for 150.00. At the time those headers sold for about 600.00....:metal: Stans headers is a local custom exhaust header shop here in NW Washington, All of Stans headers are chrome. I then had them ceramic coated. I used the march serpentine setup for BBC. At that time, 1998, it had just come out. I Am running Vintage air for those hot cross country cruises. Once all of the fabricating was finished I had the frame and all of the chassis components powder coated. As well as the underside of the cab, floorboards, under dash and back of cab. Once this was done I then installed the new GM rockers as seen in the photos. I also installed a low hump after I had the floors powdercoated as I found it afterward. I widened my rear wheel wells 1.5" using 4-tubs and cutting them accordingly. I then adjusted my bed wood to carry the same reveals to the wheel wells. The bed wood is purple heart. I purchased a wrecked late model S-10 tailgate for 5.00 and used all of the hardware in my tailgate. I am sure there is plenty more but I can't think of it right now. Here are some pics of where it is now. I did sand blast the bed sides this past Friday and am in the process of installing a role pan then fabricating some custom brackets for a bumper. Yes I am running a rolepan with a bumper. Once I get this done the body work will begin. I will keep you posted on the progress there. One thing I did forget is I removed the fuel tank from the cab and used a fuel tank from a late 70's early 80's Chevy Van between the frame rails in the back. I welded a piece of 3X4 angle to the end of the frame rails and gusseted it on the sides. This gave me a place to install the hooks for the tank straps and why I have to make custom bumper brackets. I think I am going to run a 60'-62' bumper as the frame is wider in the back and will work better for the mounting holes in the bumper. I used a gas door from a 88'-98' chev truck and the gas fill from the van. It looks like it was sapose to be there. The tilt steering column is from a 67' Impala and I am using a factor tach dash.